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The Van Cliburn Announces 12 Semifinalists In 15th International Piano Competition

Bill Zeeble
/
KERA News
The dozen semifinalists out of the original 30 will next play an hour-long recital of works they've not yet played, and a Mozart concerto with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra

Twenty Cliburn quarterfinalists are down to 12 in the 15th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. 

Tuesday night in Fort Worth, jury chair Leonard Slatikin named the semifinalists after briefly explaining how much piano the judges heard in this round.

“Eighteen hours of music. An intense experience. And most rewarding. Some of you brought repertoire that we didn’t know. And all of you brought new and fresh ideas to the repertoire that we did know.” 

The dozen semifinalists will each play an hourlong recital and a Mozart concerto with the Fort Worth symphony. Six will be chosen to advance to the finals, beginning June 7.

The semifinalists are:

  • Kenneth Broberg, United States, 23

  • Han Chen, Taiwan, 25

  • Rachel Cheung, Hong Kong, 25

  • Yury Favorin, Russia, 30

  • Daniel Hsu, United States, 19

  • Dasol Kim, South Korea, 28

  • Honggi Kim, South Korea, 25
  • Leonardo Pierdomenico, Italy, 24

  • Yutong Sun, China, 21

  • Yekwon Sunwoo, South Korea, 28

  • Georgy Tchaidze, Russia, 29

  • Tony Yike Yang, Canada, 18
Bill Zeeble has been a full-time reporter at KERA since 1992, covering everything from medicine to the Mavericks and education to environmental issues.